Ministry of Labour & Employment
JOBS TO 50 LAKH YOUTH IN NEAR FUTURE: UNION MINISTER SRI BANDARU DATTATREYA
-The Government to provide Housing to women labourers and beedi workers
- Many ESIC hospitals to come up in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
- Sri Mukhtar Abbas Naqui lauds the labour reforms
In near future 50 lakhs jobs would be provided. The Labour and Employment Ministry organised over 480 job melas through which lakhs of job opportunities were provided to the unemployed youth,Sri Bandaru Dattatreya, Minister of State  for Labour and Employment said. He alongwith Sri Mukhtar Abbas Naqui, Union Minister of State  for Minorities and Parliamentary Affairs inaugurated the meeting organised in commemoration of completion of 3 years of NDA rule at the Centre today at Ravindra Bharathi in Hyderabad by lighting the sacred lamp. While presiding the programme, Sri Dattatreya detailed the prominent schemes and initiatives of his ministry. He said that several landmark achievements are visible during the last 3 years rule under the able leadership of Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi. We are maintaining cordial relations with Trade Unions to enhance the productivity. Sab ka Saaath- Sab ka Vikas is the priority of the Government at the Centre.
Sri Dattatreya made a mention of the Child Labour  Amendment Act, 2016. It makes way for complete prohibition on employment of children below 14 years. And it also prohibits the adolescents to work in hazardous occupations and processes, he elucidated. India is attending the forthcoming International Labour Organisation meet. India will strongly advocate for the Child labour abolition.Through the Maternity Benefit  Act, 2017 the maternity benefit to woman employees has been increased from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. Payment of Bonus Amendment Act, 2015 has enhanced the eligibility limit under section 2 from Rs. 10,000/- to Rs.21,000/- per month.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Bandaru Dattatreya, has said that the Ministry is implementing reforms and new ways and means for employment generation. He said to have eased the process after the Ministry replaced 56 Registers/ Forms under various labour laws have been replaced with five. The notification was issued on March 28, 2017 for reducing Forms under certain Labour Law Rules from 36 to 12, for Central and State governments. Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana  scheme has been announced to incentivize employers for new employment. Government will be paying the 8.33% EPS contribution for these new employment for the period of 3 years.
In Andhra Pradesh State, a 300 bed hospital would be set up at Amaravathi by the Employees State Insurance Corporation , Sri Dattatreya announced. Another 100 bed capacity hospital will come up at Penugonda in Rayalaseema. In Pedakakani, 6 bed hospital with a cost of 150 crore rupees was granted. A 30 bed hospital in Nellore, 100 bed hospitals in Sullurpet, Vizianagaram and Kakinada are also to come up. 30 dispensaries are also sanctioned for Andhra Pradesh. For Telangana State, special attention had been paid to the ESIC Medical College situated at Sanathnagar in Hyderabad. A 100 bed hospital was sanctioned at Goshamahal in Old City, the Minister recalled. The State Government has to allot the suitable land, he added. 100 bed hospital at Ramagundam, 50 bed hospital at Warangal, 30 bed hospital at Nirmal are the other projects, he said.
Regarding the Employment Generation drive, the Union Minister said that a portal viz, National Career Service  has been launched. 4 crores job-seekers have enrolled in this portal and 15 lakhs of job opportunities have generated. We are striving to weed out the corruption in the selection of government jobs, Sri Dattatreya emphasised. 1000 crore rupees were allotted to Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana in the Budget. Loans to weeker sections are being arranged via MUDRA Bank. The Women workers, beedi labourers would be given housing. Priority is being accorded to the workers' health. Special care is being taken to prevent Silicossis in Mining workers. Awareness camps are conducted for prevention of dust-related diseases. The Centre is taking measures to ensure 100 % safety for mining workers. To give boost to the Housing, We allowed 90 % withdrawals from the PF accounts. 93 % workers are toiling in the Unorganised Sector , very particularly in the Beedi Making, Construction and Small Stores. We will give identity cards to these people who are an estimated 43 crore in number. The Government will provide Education and Medical facilites as a social security measure, Sri Dattatreya exhorted.
Sri Mukhtar Abbas Naqui, Union Minister of State  for Minorities and Parliamentary Affairs complemented Sri Bandaru Dattatreya and his team for the many reforms undertaken by the Ministry of Labour and Employment under the able guidance of Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi. Apart from the proactive and labour-oriented reforms, efforts towards employment generation have taken place, he said. Amendments to many a labour legislations, especially regarding Maternity Benefit, Child Labour abolition,the Bonus payment etc. were approved by Parliament, he recalled.
On this occasion, the ministers launched electronically the Alternate Data Centre of Employees Provident Fund Organisation  at Secunderabad; New Regional Offices of EPFO at Mehdipatnam, Kukatpally and Patancheru. A new EPFO website was also inaugurated. Sri Dattatreya also released a booklet on achievements and initiatives taken during the 3 years tenure. A Documentary on initiatives and achievements of EPFO on last 3 years was released.
The Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment, Ms. M. Sathiyavathy spoke about the initiatives and programmes that the Ministry had undertaken. The Union Ministers felicitated Model Employers and Best Employees with mementos on this occaion. The programme was collaborated by ESIC, EPFO, The Director General Mines Safety and different wings of Union Labour and Employment Ministry. Several senior officers of the Ministry have also participated in the programme.